April 20 (UPI) -- Last year's Triple Crown heroes bowed to the old guy in Saturday's $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap, as 7-year-old White Abarrio blew past Horse of the Year Sovereignty and familiar rival Journalism to win going away.
The beatdown of 2025 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism wasn't the continuation of a classic rivalry most fans expected. But there were extenuating circumstances, and it's very likely they'll meet again later in the year, anyway.
The race didn't shape up as predicted. Sovereignty and Journalism started well, and White Abarrio's jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., who had expected to be in the lead, took back to fourth, saving ground.
Turning into the stretch, the 4-year-olds simply ran out of steam and White Abarrio found to resistance as he swept by outside them.
Noting the quality of the competition, winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said, "We felt like he was going to run his best when his best may not have been good enough and it surely was. ... Today, we were rewarded in one of the best races in a long, long time. It really materialized, the matchup."
Meanwhile, at Keeneland, Stars and Stripes collared the pacesetter, Batten Down, inside the sixteenth pole in Saturday's $350,000 Grade III Ben Ali at Keeneland and defeated that rival by 1/2 length. Both are trained by Bill Mott, providing some counterpoint to Sovereignty's defeat in Arkansas.
Stars and Stripes, a 4-year-old Not This Time colt, got 1 3/16 miles in 1:58.34 with Luis Saez aboard.
Trainer Chad Brown has removed Grade I Blue Grass runner-up Ottinho from the Kentucky Derby field, creating a slot for the Bill Mott-trained Chief Wallabee, second in the Grade II Fountain of Youth and third in the Florida Derby (G1).
Mott, whose son, Riley, has two horses in the Derby field, had been without a starter until Ottinho made room. Another defection would move Grade II Risen Star Stakes runner-up Chip Honcho into the 20-horse field. His trainer, Steve Asmussen, is looking in at the Run for the Roses.
Looking two weeks farther down the Triple Crown trail, Saturday's Preakness Preview Day at Laurel Park might have lived up to the name, as Taj Mahal won the $100,000 Federico Tesio Stakes for 3-year-olds by 8 1/4 lengths, remaining undefeated after three starts.
The race is a win-and-you're-in event for the Preakness, but the last horse to win both was Deputed Testamony in 1983.
At Oaklawn Park, Crupper took the point on the backstretch run in Saturday's $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes and then held off a late bid by Chad Allen to win by 1/2 length.
Ivy Girl, at odds of 26-1, came from last of eight to win Saturday's $100,000 Weber City Miss at Laurel Park, a local prep for the Black-Eyed Susan on Preakness weekend. The Maxfield filly edged fellow closer A.P.'s Girl by 1 1/2 lengths.
In Arkansas, another longshot, Holly's Holiday, chased down Grace is Free in the late going to win Saturday's $200,000 Valley of the Vapors Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths.
Alpine Princess found a narrow opening through rivals at the top of the stretch in Friday's $400,000 Grade II Baird Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland, dueled with the favorite, Eunomia, and prevailed by a neck.
The 5-year-old Classic Empire mare ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.09 for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and trainer Brad Cox.
Simply Joking certainly wasn't fooling around in Sunday's $100,000 Grade III Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old Practical Joke filly, the odds-on favorite, worked quickly to the front and extended her lead to a 6 3/4-length victory.
Solitude Dude rallied wide into the stretch in Saturday's $150,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct, challenged with a furlong to run and got off to a 2-length victory. His only loss in five starts was a third-place finish in the Grade II Fountain of Youth.
Burnham Square, sixth in last year's Kentucky Derby, now sparkles on grass. He showed his heels to 10 rivals in the final furlong of Saturday's $400,000 Grade II VisitLEX Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland, accelerating to a 9 3/4-length victory.
Desvio was best of the rest as Burnham Square, a Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred by Liam's Map, ran 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:32.55 with Brian Hernandez at the controls.